Posted by Mark (SDCA) on December 15, 1999 at 12:29:40:
People often take FMV as a hard and fast number… As in: FMV is 100K. It is more acurate to portray FMV as a range because comps can be found which support different price levels for a given house. So that 10% of equity may indeed not exist, depending on WHICH comps you choose.
Mark
What is Equity??? - Posted by Tony James
Posted by Tony James on December 15, 1999 at 09:48:36:
I know equity is the amount payed on a loan. But what my question is, Is the amount left over from a reduced property considered Equity? For example… If I Owned a house worth $70,000. And I payed $50,000, do I have $20,000 worth of Equity?
Re: What is Equity??? - Posted by John (WA)
Posted by John (WA) on December 15, 1999 at 10:28:02:
It’s the difference between FMV and what is owed on a property. However, there’s a distinct difference between the literal definition of equity and the conversion of equity to cash. For example, say you have a house with a FMV of 100,000 and you owe 90,000 on the home, it’s equity is 10,000. Just realize that to some degree that 10,000 is not much more than air. Why? Because so many things can and do affect the market value of a home such as time of year, market trends, curb appeal, terms of sale and the list can go on. Also, if a person is wanting to convert that equity to cash, selling costs will be involved. The cost of selling a home will depend on a variety of things too. Bottom line when investing, that first 10% of “FMV” can evaporate in a hurry. There are some things you can do to capture or retain that air by offering good terms to people who need flexible sellers. This may include owner financing, a lease option or something of the like. Hope this helps.